Thursday, December 29, 2005

I've been reading a little bit of philosophy this week (Coppleston, I'm afraid). This, coupled with some recent comments by John Derbyshire on The Corner, reminds me of a thesis which I have long been convinced of. Let me explain briefly. Derbyshire has been responding to a number of emails from people about the subject of Intelligent Design. He has said publicly that ID has nothing to do with "science", at least the way he understands the two things. In responding to the emails he received about this, Derbyshire has stated that he has no training in, nor interest in philospohy. He has an interest in what scientists actually think and do, and based on that, thinks that ID is a side issue.

While I feel competely incompetent to argue about science/design/philosophy/theology issues (as they relate to each other), it reminds me of my thesis about philosophy as an acadmic practice. My thesis is that academic philosophers should be required to take on some sort of interest outside of philosophy proper with the idea of being able to make contributions to that field. While scientists (as one example) are certainly free to dabble in philosophy to their hearts content, I think it would still be valuable to the science community to have a very careful philosopher look at their field. It may often be the case that the conclusions scientists draw from their work are unwarranted, or that their starting theses are dependant on untenable premises.

The subject of cosmology/origins/design seems to be one particular area where I think a great deal of care and rigor would be valuable.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

I don't remember who I saw mention Pandora first, but I just got a nice surprise when my "Little River Band" station started playing Black Sabbath's Children of the Sea (with Dio on vocals). Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just didn't see it going with my soft 70's sounds.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

A page from Louis De Bernieres' lotest novel, Birds Without Wings. Perhaps some of you read Corelli's Mandolin? The narrative voice here, btw, is Turkish.

Ever since the year 1189 in the Muslim calendar, which was 1774 in the Christian, the Russian Empire had exercised a policy of religious expurgation every time that it expanded into newly conquered lands. In the Crimea, in the Caucasus, in southern Ukraine, in Azerbaijan, Kars-Ardahan and Laz, the Russians massacred and displaced the Muslim population, swamping the Ottoman Empire with refugees with which it could not cope. It is impossible to calculate the number of deaths, or to reimagine the manner in which these murders were perpetrated. It was a perduring holocaust, but, unlike the more famous one of the Second World War, it is uncommemorated by the world because it received no publicity at the time or afterwards. No monuments have been raised, no dates of comemoration have entered the calendars, no religious services have been held, and no hindsighted pieties have been repeated for our edification. The Russians replaced these slaughtered populations with Christians, preferably of Slav origin, but in the absence of Slavs, they made do with Ukrainians and Armenians.

It is curious that the Russians, calling themselves Christians, and like so many other nominal Christians throughout history, took no notice whatsoever of the key parable of Jesus Christ himself, which taught that you shall love your neighbor as yourself, and that even those you have despised and hated are your neighbors. This has never made any difference to Christians, since the primary epiphenomena of any religion's foundation are the production and flourishment of hypocrisy, megalomania and psychopathy, and the first casualties of a religion's establishment are the intentions of its founder. One can imagine Jesus and Mohammed glumly comparing notes in paradise, scratching their heads and bemoaning the vain expense of effort and suffering, which resulted only in the construction of two monumental whited sepulchres.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Call me strange, but I think this is a terribly important story for public education. If you were to eask the question of when the debate was which argued that coed classes are better than single sex, the answer is never. I don't think there's ever been an argument (other than cost or convenience) which showed some sort of advantage to coed classes, particularly in grade schools.

Monday, December 05, 2005

Saturday, December 03, 2005

My friend Rance assembled this list of early Christian quotes about violence and the christian life. I hadn't seen a number of these, so I'm posting them here for your perusal:

Matthew 5:3-12Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for theyshall be satisfied.Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake ofrighteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, andfalsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in thesame way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:38-42"You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTHFOR A TOOTH.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; butwhoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have yourcoat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Giveto him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants toborrow from you."

Ephesians 6:12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against therulers, against the powers, against the world forces of thisdarkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlyplaces.

I Peter 3:8-17To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly,kindhearted, and humble in spirit; do not repay evil with evil orinsult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you werecalled so that you may inherit a blessing.For, "THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD;HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS,AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL."

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? Buteven if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you areblessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready tomake a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for thehope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep agood conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered,those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer fordoing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

Justin MartyrAnd when the Spirit of prophecy speaks as predicting things that areto come to pass, He speaks in this way: "For out of Zion shall goforth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shalljudge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and theyshall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears intopruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation,neither shall they learn war any more." And that it did so come topass, we can convince you. For from Jerusalem there went out intothe world, men, twelve in number, and these illiterate, of noability in speaking: but by the power of God they proclaimed toevery race of men that they were sent by Christ to teach to all theword of God; and we who formerly used to murder one another do notonly now refrain from making war upon our enemies, but also, that wemay not lie nor deceive our examiners, willingly die confessingChrist. For that saying, "The tongue has sworn but the mind isunsworn," might be imitated by us in this matter. But if thesoldiers enrolled by you, and who have taken the military oath,prefer their allegiance to their own life, and parents, and country,and all kindred, though you can offer them nothing incorruptible, itwere verily ridiculous if we, who earnestly long for incorruption,should not endure all things, in order to obtain what we desire fromHim who is able to grant it. (First Apology 39)

Justin MartyrAnd we who were filled with war, and mutual slaughter, and everywickedness, have each through the whole earth changed our warlikeweapons, - our swords into ploughs, and our spears into implementsof tillage, - and we cultivate piety, righteousness, philanthropy,faith, and hope, which we have from the Father Himself through Himwho was crucified. (Dialogue with Trypho 50)

ClementFor it is not in war, but in peace, that we are trained. War needsgreat preparation, and luxury craves profusion; but peace and love,simple and quiet sisters, require no arms nor excessive preparation.The Word is their sustenance. (Instructor I 12)

OrigenAnd to those who inquire of us whence we come, or who is ourfounder, we reply that we are come, agreeably to the counsels ofJesus, to cut down our hostile and insolent wordy swords into plows,and to convert into pruning-hooks the spears formerly employed inwar. For we no longer take up sword against nation, nor do we learnwar any more, having become children of peace, for the sake ofJesus, who is our leader, instead of those who our fathers followed,among whom we were strangers to the covenant. (Against Celsus 5 33)

IrenaeusFor the Christians have changed their swords and their lances intoinstruments of peace, and they know not how to fight.

IrenaeusNor an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, for him who counts noman his enemy, but all his neighbors, and therefore can neverstretch out his hand for vengeance. (Proof of the ApostolicPreaching 96)

Ignatius of AntiochNothing is more precious than peace, by which all war, both inheaven and earth, is brought to an end. Therefore have need ofmeekness, by which the prince of this world is brought to nought.(Epistle to the Trallians 4)

AthenagorasHow, then, when we do not even look on, lest we should contractguilt and pollution, can we put people to death? And when we saythat those women who use drugs to bring on abortion commit murder,and will have to give an account to God s for the abortion, on whatprinciple should we commit murder? For it does not belong to thesame person to regard the very foetus in the womb as a createdbeing, and therefore an object of God's care, and when it has passedinto life, to kill it. (A Plea for the Christians 35)

TertullianBut now inquiry is made about this point, whether a believer mayturn himself unto military service, and whether the military may beadmitted unto the faith, even the rank and file, or each inferiorgrade, to whom there is no necessity for taking part in sacrificesor capital punishments. There is no agreement between the divine andthe human sacrament, the standard of Christ and the standard of thedevil, the camp of light and the camp of darkness. One soul cannotbe due to two masters--God and Caesar. And yet Moses carried a rod,and Aaron wore a buckle, and John (Baptist) is girt with leather andJoshua the son of Nun leads a line of march; and the People warred:if it pleases you to sport with the subject. But how will aChristian man war, nay, how will he serve even in peace, without asword, which the Lord has taken away? For albeit soldiers had comeunto John, and had received the formula of their rule; albeit,likewise, a centurion had believed; still the Lord afterward, indisarming Peter, unbed every soldier. (On Idolatry)

Tertullian...we who hated and killed one another, and on account of theirdifferent cultures would not live with men of a different country,now, since the coming of Christ, live familiarly with them, and prayfor our enemies, and endeavour to persuade those who hate usunjustly to live comformably to the good precepts of Christ, to theend that they may become par-takers with us of the same joyful hopeof a reward from God the ruler of all. (First Apology 14)

Apostolic Tradition of HippolytusInquiry shall likewise be made about the professions and trades ofthose who are brought to be admitted to the faith. ?A gladiator or atrainer of gladiators, or a huntsman in the wild beast shows, oranyone connected with these shows, or a public official in charge ofgladiatorial exhibitions must desist or be rejected. A heathenpriest or anyone who attends to idols must desist or be rejected. Asoldier of the civil authority must be taught not to kill men and torefuse to do so if he is commanded, and to refuse to take an oath;if he is, unwilling to comply, he must be rejected. A militarycommander or civic magistrate that wears the purple must resign orrejected. If a catechumen or a believer seeks to become a soldier,they must be rejected for they have despised God. (HippolytanCanons)

LactantiusFor when God forbids us to kill, He not only prohibits us from openviolence, which is not even allowed by the public laws, but He warnsus against the commission of those things which are esteemed lawfulamong men. Thus it will be neither lawful for a just man to engagein warfare, since his warfare is justice itself, not to accuse anyone of a capital charge, because it makes no difference whether youput a man to death by word, or rather by the sword, since it is theact of putting to death itself which is prohibited. (The DivineInstitutes)

1st Council of NiceaAs many as were called by grace, and displayed the first zeal,having cast aside their military girdles, but afterwards returned,like dogs, to their own vomit... (Canon 12)

CyprianThe whole world is wet with mutual blood; and murder, which in thecase of an individual is admitted to be a crime, is called a virtuewhen it is committed wholesale. Impunity is claimed for the wickeddeeds, not on the plea that they are guiltless, but because thecruelty is perpetrated on a grand scale. (To Donatus 6)